HOW’S IT LOOKING?
So, you ask, what’s expected for this year? Well, if everything continues on its present course, Colorado anglers should be coming home this fishing season with some for the skillet as well as some snapped tippets.

This past season’s big news was the abundance of water that much of the state received. Its benefits will flow into this fishing season as well.

According to Gerlick, this wealth of liquid will provide overall better trout recruitment, as well as produce a better year-class of fish, helping younger trout to survive better, thrive and grow. Gerlick anticipates angling to improve across the state.

With so many fishable rivers, streams and lakes, it would be impossible to cover each one of them. But here’s a look at some of the famous waters, as well as some overlooked hotspots -- and what you can expect from them this fishing season.

FRONT RANGE
This season, the Front Range offers a plethora of rivers and lakes for anglers to sample. Sprinkled throughout this region is everything from tailrace trout to hog-filled lakes. And each offers its own character and ample supply of fish.

The Cache la Poudre River is one of the few remaining free-stoners in Colorado. It’s located a few miles west of Fort Collins.

According to Ken Kehmeier, a CDOW aquatic biologist, the Poudre is doing really well and is on the upswing. The latest creel survey shows an estimated 1,900 trout per river mile. But more impressive is the sheer amount of biomass that the river is producing. It’s right at 150 pounds per acre.

Another river close to the bustling Front Range is the Big Thompson. According to the CDOW, the Big T offers nearly 2,400 trout per river mile in the 10-mile catch-and-release stretch below Olympus Dam. About two-thirds of them are feisty rainbow trout.

Frank Praznik, owner and guide at St. Peter’s Fly Shop, said the Thompson is doing really well. He said that wild trout average about 13 inches, and it’s not uncommon to hook into seasoned trout of 16 to 18 inches.

The Blue River is another top spot, located an hour west of the Front Range near Silverthorne. Zeke Hersh of Blue River Anglers reports fishing has been really good on the Blue, and he sees no shortage of trout in the near future.

Several years ago, some 50,000 ‘bows were stocked in the river from Dillon to Green Mountain reservoirs, and 2,500 of them were 14-inchers. River improvement projects were also implemented, all in an effort to keep the Blue’s Gold Medal standards. Now, 16- to 18-inch trout are the norm, said Hersh, and 5-pound brutes are common.

The famous South Platte River system offers both still-water and river fishing. If hefty trout make you smile, it just might be the best that Colorado has to offer. Antero, Spinney, and Eleven Mile reservoirs are superb still-water options, with Spinney offering 2,500 surface acres of Gold Medal nirvana. Antero Reservoir provides new fishing opportunities, and Eleven Mile offers big trout and tape-stretching pike as well.